Clutch-operating mechanism



May 27, 1924.

G. C. CARHART CLUTCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed .June 6, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet, l

. INVENTOR ATTORNEYS May 27 1924.

1,495,574 a. c. CARHART CLUTCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed June 6, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 13 E a 55 15' 2e \\\fl/ v 34. 655 5 L50 1% 15 a 4 J a ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 27, 1924.

vireo GEORGE o. AR RT, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK. ns sIGnoR'ro THEBRown-LIPE GEAR COMPANY, or SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

(imam-Definite MEefiAnIsM.

Amiuafitn "filed June e,

and durable in use; and it consists inthe novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed. 7 In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters designate corresponding parts. in all of the views.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a clutch embodying my invention.

Figure -2-is a sectional view on the plane of line 22 Flgure 1.

' Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view,

partly in elevation on the plane of line 3-'-3, Figure 1.

The clutch here illustrated isof the disk type and includes driving and driven members 1 and 2, interleaved disks 3, 4, connected respectively to said members and an axially 'shiftable element operable to compress and frictionally engagethe disks. The driving and driven members 1 and 2 may be of any suitable form, size and construction and as here illustrated. the driving member 1 is a cylindrical'shell secured at 5 to a member, as the fly wheel 6 of the engine; and the driven member 2 is mounted within the member 1 on the driven shaft 7 The disks 3 and 4 are interlocked respectively with the members 1 and 2 and as here shown, are provided respectively with external and internal tongues which extend into grooves or keyways formed respectively in the inner and outer faces of the elements 1 and 2, such as the tongues 8 of the disks 3, which slide in grooves or keyways 9 in the memberl. I l v 10 designates the axially shift-able element which includes a body encircling the hub 11 of the driven member 2 and an abutment ring 12 connected to the body by arms 13 extending through slots 13 in the member 2. The ring 12 normally compresses the 1918. serial no. 538, 15.25.

disks 3, 4 under the influence of fa main spr ng 14 toward a fixed abutment- 15 on the driven member 2. The abutment element 10 is shiftable axially-in e fdirectien to compress'the disksby means ofthe spring 14 which is interposed between the body or Web portion of the driven member 2' and a spring seat 16. 17 is an axially shiftab'le element carrying said spring seat and slids able axially on the shaft 7, 'The axially shiftable element 17 cbmprisesa rotatable sleeve provided 1 with an annular shoulder 18 which receive the thrust of the spring seat 16 and a bearing forreceiving the...

thrust of "the operating means tojbe described. The movementof the 'e1em'ent 18 is transmitted to the element 10 in one direction by means of rods 19 connecting the abutment 16 and the element 1O and 's'lidable in the-driven element 2. When the axially shiftable element 17 is moved toj'the left against the spring 14, the element 10 which compresses the'disks is relieved "of the tension of'the spring 14 so that "the disk'swill 'disieilga The t rust bearing of the axially "shiftable element 17 consists of innerf and outer rings 20, 21 and antifriction members,v asballs 22, located between the rings and also a ball retainer 23. Tlie'outer ring 21 through the balls 22 transmits the axial shifting moveineiit to the sleeve when the operating ii eah's is actuated to shift the sleeve. Suitable caps 2 5enclose the bear- 7 ing' to make it oil-tight and a washer 26 is interposed between the spring seat 16 and the shoulder 18. V

The driven shaft 7 is" journaled at its outer end in an 'antifriction bearing 29 moveiner'it in a direction axially of the clutch. v

The bearing "29 is oiled by means of a grease cup 33 and some of the lubricant is fed along the shaft to the sleeve 17 and the bearing therefor by means of internal spiral "T05 grooves 84 formed in the inner face of the hub of the cover 30 and the caps 24, 25 previously referred to retain the oil or lubricant.

The means for controlling the operation an of the shiftable element 17, that is, for operating it axially to the left against the tension of the spring 14, comprises a lever 35 lulcrumed at one end and having means reacting with the shittable element 17 and on the shilf'table element 17, the internal face of the collar being spaced apart from the periphery of the port-ion oi" the shiltable element 17 or the driven shaft located within said collar. The operating member coacts with the lever on, the opposite side of the driven element from lhat on which its fulcrumed end is located. As here shown the collar encircles the grease retaining cap 25 and the diametrically disposed shoulders bear directly against the portion of said cap interposed between the collar and the rear face of the outer ring 21 oi the bearing for the sleeve of the axially shi'ltable element 17.

The operating member consists 01. a rock shaft 40 journaled in a bearing extending through the cover 30 on the casing and h aving a rock arm ll thereon formed with a socket 42 "for receiving a ball at; at the contiguous end of the lever 35, the rock arm coacting with the lever on the opposite side of the driven element to the point at which the lever is .t'ulcrumed and said arm supoorts the lever with the inner lace of the colt lar spaced apart from the underlying surface of the element 17. The lever is pressed lengthwise by means oi a spring "l4 located in the socket 136 and tending to press the le- \er to hold the ball d3 in the socket 42 of the operating member 4-1. This socket 36 extends into an opening formed in the easing cover 30 and is held therein by a set screw. The shatt 4A) is rocked by means of a suitable pedal.

In operation, during the rocking of the rock shaft, the lever is moved about its tulcrum point and shifts the sleeve of the element 1'! inwardly to the left against the compression of the spring 1 1, thus relieving the abutment member 10 of the tension 01 the spring so that the disks 3 and Jr. disengage.

This construction of operating means for clutches is particularly advantageous in that it is simple in construction and readily accessible and the parts are held from any looseness and with minimum friction.

Furthermore, the cover 30 and rock arm 41 are readily detached from the lever 35 when the cover 30 is being removed.

What I claim is:

1. In a clutch, an axially shit'table element, mechanism for controlling said ele ment, and a casing including a removable cover at its rear end removable and replace able in a'direction lengthwise ot the axis of the clutch, said mechanism comprising a le ver engaged with th shiftable element and tulcrumed to the cover and an operating member carried by the cover, and means for detachably connecting the lever to the cover and the operating member, substantially as and tor the purpose specified.

2. In a clutch an axially shiftable element, means for controlling said element, and a casing including a removable cover, said means comprising a lever coacting with the shittable element and lulcrumed to the cover, and a rock shatlt journaled in the cover and having an. arm coacting with said lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a clutch, an axially shiftable element, means for controlling said element, and a casing including a removable cover, said means comprising a lever engaged with the shi'l table element and detachably fulcrumed to the cover, and means tor operating the lever carried by the cover and detachably connected to the lever, the lever being shiltable ei'idwise for facilitating such detachment, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

l. In a clutch, an axially shittable element, means for controlling said element, and a casing including a removable cover, said means comprising a lever engaged with the shi'l table element and detachably fulcrumed to the cover, and means for operating the lever carried by the cover and detachably connected to the lever, the lever being shit'table endwise for facilitating such detachment, and a spring normally tending to resist said endwise movement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a clutch, an axially shittable element, means for controlling said element, and a casing including a removable cover formed with a socket, said means comprising a member coacting with the shiftable element and an operating member, the former member being a lever fulcrumed one end in the socket. and the latter a rock arm carried by the cover and formed with a socket for receiving the other end of the lever, one of said members being shittable endwise to detach the lever from the rock arm and the cover, substantially as and For the purpose described.

6.111 a clutch, an axially shiftable element, means for controlling said element, and a casing including a removable cover formed with a socket, said means compris ing' a lever coacting with the shift-able element and detachably fulcrumed in the socket, a rock arm carried by the cover and formed with a socket for receiving the other end of the lever, one of said parts being shiftable endwise to detach the lever from the rock arm and the cover, and a spring for resisting said endwise movement, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a clutch, an axially shiftable element, means for controlling said element, and a casing including a removable cover formed with a socket, said means comprising a lever coacting with the shiftable element and detachably fulcrumed in the socket, a rock arm carried by the cover and formed with a socket for receiving the other end of the lever, the lever being shiftable endwise to facilitate the detachment of the lever from the rock arm and the cover, and a spring for normally resisting such endwise movement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a clutch, an axially shiftable element, and means for controlling the shifting of said element comprising a lever fulcrumed at one end and having a collar between its ends concentric with said element and having its inner face spaced apart from the periphery of the underlying portion of the clutch, and an operating member coacting with said lever at the other end thereof and supporting the same with the inner face of the collar spaced apart from the periphery of the underlying portion of the clutch, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. In a clutch, an axially shiftable element, and means for controlling the shifting of said element including a lever fulcrumed at one end and coacting with the shiftable element between its ends, an operating member coacting with and supporting the other end of the lever, and a spring acting on the lever to press the same toward the operating member, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a clutch, an axially shiftable element and means for controlling the shifting of said element comprising a lever coacting with said element, a fixed socket in which one end of the lever is fulcrumed, an operating member having a socket in which the other end of the lever is located, and a spring in one of the sockets tending to move the lever endwise, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a disk clutch, an axially shiftable element, and means for controlling the shifting of said element including a lever having a collar between its ends concentric with said element and having its inner face spaced apart from the periphery of the ortion of the clutch within the collar, a ixed socket, the lever having a ball at one end seated in the socket, a rocking operating member coacting with the other end of the lever and connected thereto by a ball-andsocket joint and a spring located in the firstmentioned socket and tending to press the lever endwise, substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. In a clutch, an axially shiftable element, means for controlling said element, and a casing including a removable cover, said means comprising a lever engaged with the shiftable element and detachably fulcrumed to the cover, and a rock arm carried by the cover and detachably connected to the lever, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

13. In a clutch, an axially shiftable element, means for controlling said element, and a casing including a removable cover formed with asocket, said means comprising a lever having an end fulcrumed in the socket, the lever extending crosswise of the axially shiftable element, a rock arm carried by the cover and connected to the lever by a ball-and-socket joint, and a spring located in the first mentioned socket and tending to move the lever endwise, the lever being movable endwise against the spring to disengage said lever from the rock arm, sub stantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 16th day of May, 1918.

GEORGE C. CARHART. 

